Notes from January's Studio Journal
I can’t say we eased into the New Year in a slow or thoughtful manner, rather, it was a head first dive into a flurry of work and deadlines. For some reason it’s often like this for us in January, we don’t have that quiet month of reflection that so many makers seem to have, but I won’t grumble, it’s good to be busy and we have had fun along the way. And we’ve made so many teapots…
This month we’ve been working on an order for Toast and David Mellor Design and Matches Fashion too, alongside throwing some pieces for our online shop.
2nd January
A blustery day - the sort that just makes you want to curl up in bed and slumber all day. But, instead the day has been spent, for Matt, finishing to trim his tea bowls and beginning to prepare for a mammoth day of teapot making tomorrow.
We travelled into the studio / nursery at dawn, and Arthur (our 3 year old) kept said to me ‘don’t worry, the clouds are busy looking for the sun and once they find it, it will be light’. And when we entered the throwing studio this morning, which has an easterly aspect, the room was illuminated and glowing with low winter sunlight, extremely uplifting and energising, a perfect start to the working day, and so I guess the clouds had done their work.
My work in the studio was slower than anticipated. I packed and processed an order that had come through over new year, and replied to various emails and messages, unloaded the bisque kiln, finished waxing dinner and side plates and serving bowls, and just as I had managed to get a few samples (for a project) glazed, it was time for me to go to the post office and then collect Arthur.
The evening has drawn in quickly after our sleepy afternoon, and I’m already mentally preparing for tomorrow when such a lot of work needs to get done.
3rd January
We began with optimism after a relatively punctual start and Matt began to work on the teapots (pulling handles, seeing to the spouts, beginning to trim the bodies), whilst I set to work glazing. I worked methodically and probably quite slowly, for I never like to rush glazing too much. All day long I listened to an audiobook of Jane Eyre. The morning flew by, we paused for a coffee and mince pie break at 11 and then lunch at 13:30 - we ate the red lentil and tomato soup - a Diana Henry recipe - that we seem to make most weeks. It is nourishing, frugal (without the saffron) and delicious and so it is a bit of a staple for us. We discussed the news then I took Nella for a quick run on the roof of the building, the sun was glorious, she was pleased to be out and running.
At 14:00 we both set to work on the teapots; Matt trimming and punching drainage holes; me attaching the spouts. Neither of us paused our work, besides maybe one or two toilet breaks, until 18:20, when, I looked at the clock and realised I needed to be home soon as my brother was dropping Arthur back home so I had to rush.
It was 10pm by the time Matt arrived home - a long day, as teapots days often are.
4th January
A very brief stint in the studio - 4 hours in total, divided by a trip down the road to the Showroom to see Little Women with my mum and sister, which I adored. Cleaning up and wiping glaze from pots ready to fire. Managed to get a kiln on.
7th January
Another teapot day, though this time, not quite as arduous, as we were fortunate enough to have Judy helping us and we started the work roughly an hour earlier than last week’s session - 8:30am. These little details really matter - an extra pair of hands makes a world of difference. We’ve managed to make 24 teapots; they all look neat and proper and will hopefully dry well and evenly. Matt concentrated on pulling the handles, making the spouts and trimming; Judy carefully punctured in the drainage holes, attached spouts and cleaned up the handles; I focused solely on attaching the spouts. We completed everything just after 17:00. I think we’re all happy, and definitely tired after a late night with friends the evening before.
Whilst Judy and Matt worked on the spouts, lids and teapot bodies this morning, I spent time working through emails, packaging pots and booking in deliveries. It was not the most stimulating work, but I do have the sense of having ticked off many things from my to do list.
Tomorrow Matt and I have promised an hour to ourselves first thing to work on some preliminary sketches for some new things; a jug and a stem vase. It will be refreshing to think about some new forms with differing purposes to many of the pieces we are making at the moment. But only an hour can be spared, as we both have many tasks ahead of us tomorrow.
10th January
Another morning of glazing, whilst listening to Wuthering Heights on audiobook, which is proving to be quite immersive. I feel I could write an entire essay on the novel so far! And also, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I got done when distracted, when my mind was elsewhere.
In the throwing studio Matt and Judy are trimming tea bowls, they were drier than he had hoped, so it’s a tricky task.
14th January
Miserable rain and wild weather outside today, but wonderfully tranquil to spend the morning in the studio with Matt. The room was cosy and warm upon entry as both kilns had been firing last night: one glaze firing and one biscuit firing, both full of teapots and tea bowls.
Matt has spent the morning trimming cereal bowls, of which there are many, and he will hopefully get on to throwing candleholders this afternoon. I spent my morning mixing and sieving a new batch of tin white glaze followed by wiping and cleaning up glazed pots to go in the kiln tomorrow.
Neither of these jobs are particularly exciting, rather, the nature of this work is highly repetitive and, for some people, I’m sure, tedious. Matt and I often discuss this aspect of our work, for nearly every stage of making pots is of this nature, from throwing to trimming, glazing, and so on. It’s something you need to learn to embrace, I think. But then again, I’m partial to this kind of work, I’ve always liked the rhythm and steady but sure progress of repetitive work (I think this is why I have taken to knitting).
I also have been listening to audiobooks whist I work; this past two weeks I have finished both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre on the BBC sounds app. Listening to these stories as I work, I become entranced by the tale, and work steadily, carefully and without trying to hurry to the end, which I think is benefitting my work greatly. Matt has been feeling he needs a similar stimulus to aid him in his throwing and trimming, as we have some big orders on at the moment. I hope he gets a Bronte fix too - I’d love a day trip to Bronte country soon, as it is not so far from us and I’ve never been.
16th January
Matt spent his time working on various forms, trimming, and then managed to fit in an hour or so throwing time, trying out some new jug ideas following our drawing session last week. It’s funny, we both completely agreed on the shape we want, but designing jugs is hard I think. It’s tempting to emphasise originality in shape, but then, there is a reason that there is a general jug form archetype, and that’s because it pours well, is pleasant to hold and use. And those things aren’t simple to achieve at all. So I expect there will be much trial and error.
Carla and I were in the glazing studio, sanding, waxing, wiping and me just generally trying to sort everything out as there are so many pots in process at the moment and I can’t see for looking. The kilns barely have a chance to cool, they are fired and then re-loaded and fired again.
As we worked we ‘put the world to rights’, in Carla’s words, but especially we talked about how important failure is to our craft. We both mused over how many people get so upset at the act of destruction - when we smash our work because it isn’t good enough, or demolish the freshly thrown form - but it is really important to do this. Generally our materials aren’t expensive, but our time is, and you have to use it carefully. The time spent making and then having to re-make, destroy and re-make again, isn’t wasted, even when it feels so, it is really important.
17th January
Matt and I have become really organised these past months, with work schedules, financial schedules - a spreadsheet for each part of our lives. In general we are calm and happy to go at a slow pace, but somehow I’m feeling completely overwhelmed today but the amount of work we need to do in the next few weeks.
Matt is pretty much on track with his throwing and trimming, but is in desperate need of a pug mill to help with the reclaim - but the machine he wants is just so expensive so I’m figuring out a way to make it happen.
But I am a little behind with my work. I only get between 8:30 and 11:45 in the studio each day and much of that time includes emails and other misc. tasks so it is easy for me to fall behind with production work. There are a lot of pieces to glaze and then get ready for the kiln, and I’m really behind on all the admin tasks. I think the biggest thing we are working on is to carve out enough time to restock our online shop, which is woefully depleted after Christmas. It’s great to be in demand, of course, but I just wish we could manage to make more pieces. It’s not so much the money, it’s more the disappointed emails from people who want our pots, wondering how much longer they need to wait. They’re not angry, I’m often struck by just how patient our customers are, in fact.
20th January
Such beautiful sunlight today, it completely lifts the spirits. I think I must be solar-powered. The light was streaming into both studios when we arrived this morning and it made it easier to just crack on with our work - for me that was wiping and cleaning pots ready for the glaze firing, and for Matt preparing clay. The time I’d taken on Saturday to organise the pots in our glazing room was well spent, and it was such a pleasure seeing the pieces for our Toast order come together, all looking really great. Sometimes you can’t ‘see the wood for the trees’, so it felt good to see the finished pieces all together.
At 10am Camille came to the studio - she’s a French ceramicist who is spending the month with us. Camille lives in Thiers, which sounds completely beautiful, surrounded by mountains about 1 hour away from Lyon (one of my favourite cities). We feel very flattered that people want to come to Sheffield and work with us, and I hope the experience will be fulfilling for both Camille and us too.
We spent time chatting and showing her around the studio, musing over shared joys and tribulations of potter-hood. Then, it was to work we went - Camille helping to weigh out and wedge clay, and then she had a go at throwing the teapot lids alongside Matt. It’s a new thing having people in the studio and I think we’ll get into more of a flow soon. I think it’s a good thing to welcome new people, alongside their ideas and energy into the studio, although it is is also important to make sure we don’t fall behind schedule with our orders - a careful balance between teaching our ways and also making sure all the jobs are done. Anyway our little studio feeling very European, with us Brits, a German national and a French national - in your face Brexit….
22nd January
The studio was full of people, sunlight and energy today - a good day I think. We spent the morning like this: Matt preparing everything for an afternoon of teapots (trimming, throwing spouts, pulling handles), Camille and Carla sanding and waxing a kiln load of biscuit ware, and myself wiping down pots ready for a glaze firing.
At about 10:30 I was so hungry, I sneaked downstairs to the gallery coffee and returned armed with cinnamon buns, frangipane croissants and cakes - a decisive but good move I think, we were all hungry and it was nice to break for a quick chat.
At around midday we were able to begin assembling teapots, but it was a bit tricky as the room had been warmer than usual, so the spouts and bodies were already beginning to dry a lot, but not the handles. Timing is always the biggest theme with the teapots, especially when the weather changes. But it was nothing some swift working and lots of spritzes of water and plastic couldn’t fix.
Camille and I began by attaching the spouts - we worked quickly, I was impressed by how able Camille was with little practice, but I think she is well-practiced with hand-building so that is probably why. It always takes me many many goes to get something right, and to have the confidence to do it well, so I am always amazed by these fearless and talented people.
Carla cut the handles and laid them out, before moving on to puncture the drainage holes into the freshly trimmed teapot bodies, which Matt was working on. And then when we started to have some spouts finished, Matt began crudely attaching handles before Carla cleaned up the finished teapots. We were a good team, and we managed to make 25 teapots before 5pm, even with time to clean up the studio.
23rd January
We are blessed by another sunny day in both of our studios. I know I go on about the weather and the light a lot, but somehow it is the first thing I notice of a day. And it really does uplift me. I know many people are tired of these last dregs of winter (actually, I really don’t feel like we’ve even had a winter yet), and are looking ahead to spring, but I often notice the bright sunlit days of January and February and think how good they feel. I’m reading ‘Olive, Again’, by Elizabeth Strout, and I was pleased to read a passage where Olive affirms much the same thing.
I suppose it is repetitive, as I seem to spend all my days like this at the moment, but I spent my morning cleaning up pots, and got another glaze firing on. We have a deadline on Monday, and I need to get two more kiln loads ready, and by that I mean, the pots are already glazed but need some fettling and wiping, and in the kiln by Saturday, so I’m prioritising this work. As I was working I made a mental list of all the little jobs I need to get done; prepare two new batches of glaze, organise some more glazes for the upcoming wood firing, clean and re-wash all the kiln shelves, updated our webshop inventory, prepare cones in leather hard clay for our firings, and a load of studio laundry too. Plus, I haven’t kept on top of all our business expenses, a job I usually do once a week, but haven’t done since December, and our accounts need signing off too. It feels good to unload my to do list here as I realise these are all manageable tasks, and some things I can achieve next week after our deadline.
Judy is currently trimming teapot lids; Matt is throwing tea bowls; Camille is also having a go at throwing tea bowls.
[photograph of a freshly thrown teabowl]
28th January
We’ve spent the last couple of days packaging pots. Yesterday was a seriously productive day. We were a production line of four and sometimes five (I had to leave at lunch to look after Arthur), and we managed to get the big order almost packed and started on the webshop orders too. I’m sure that many people won’t realise the time we spend packaging. Anyway, this morning Matt and Camille managed to complete the big order (which was almost 600 pieces in total) and load it onto the pallet for collection tomorrow. It’s been a big project for us and has used most of our resource these past five weeks, so it feels quite significant to have finished it. And with only a couple of seconds too. I completed the webshop orders and felt great about ticking that off the list.
The afternoon was a spontaneous one, as Arthur stayed in the studio with us. Normally we would head home after his morning nursery session, but he really wanted to spend time with us in the studio, which was nice. I think because we’re in here so often, we forget just how much fun clay can be for little ones. He spent nearly a couple of hours shaping clay into figurines (and then promptly demolishing them), and he also had a shot on the wheel. When drawing, he isn’t yet at the point of working figuratively or with any detail - in fact he almost exclusively scribbles - but I was almost amazed when he started working figuratively with the clay, shaping the clay into Gruffalo characters. It was a nice afternoon, and I think we didn’t get in the way of production too much.
[photograph of our big order, coming together]
30th January
I can’t say today has been a good one. The studio is ill! Matt has almost recovered from his cold, though even when ill that boy never stops, but I am knocked for six with my cold, and I think Judy is getting it too. I just feel lousy. I had a meeting with a lovely friend in the morning and afterwards began to sieve a new batch of glaze, which I nowhere near managed to finish before leaving to get Arthur from nursery. Matt and Camille threw mug bodies and poor Judy trimmed teapot lids - a job she seems to have acquired nearly every week. Anyway, Arthur was desperate to spend another afternoon in the studio and I didn’t mind, as I couldn’t quite face solo parenting at home anyway, but when we got back to the studio there was a power cut, and we were told it would last a couple of hours. No wheels, no water either. So Judy and Camille went home whilst Arthur, Matt and I ate a leisurely lunch and carved some more clay animals with Arthur. Matt really ploughed on when the electricity came back, getting all his mugs thrown and also the pieces for the February wood firing. He really is a hard worker. He didn’t get home until 8pm when Arthur and I had already fallen asleep. Not the most cohesive day, but oh well.
31st January
Friday, Brexit day, also, sick day, for me anyway. Matt headed into the studio and I have slept all morning. Matt and Judy have been trimming the mugs that were thrown yesterday and attaching the handles whilst Camille has been sanding and cleaning a kiln’s worth of bisque ware.
This afternoon I have cooked; made soup, baked bread and used up a load of old bananas in a delicious seeded banana bread. Managed to get a couple of computer based tasks done, but it’s mainly been a day of rest and caring for Arthur, and because I’m behind in the studio I will need to go in for a couple of hours tomorrow to get a few things sorted. It’s never easy to take time off when you’re self-employed, but I’m glad I stayed at home today. Hopefully Matt will have had a productive time.
[image of one of Jenny West’s drawings, in progress, in our studio this week]